Question:

[snip] All in all, it was a pretty typical outing, tho shorter than most.

Somehow, I missed this TR but it has a familiar ring to it.  :) Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://home.cogeco.ca/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

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Darn sight safer than coming out of the Air & Space Museum at 11:30 and the car won’t start or hitting a pothole on 295 and blowing two tires!  Now THAT will crease your seat! — Wayne To Fish is Human…To Release Divine!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  Thanks.  I assume that you fished there after dark.  Did you  feel reasonably safe doing that ? After dark is best on stripers with an in-running tide.  Try a black Clouser with yellow eyes and a touch of Crystal Flash. —

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I too caught a channel cat in the Potomac many years ago, almost in the same spot that you did.  Judging by my very limited sample, there must be a lot of them in  there.  I caught a good-sized one above the Chain Bridge last  year.  I was sure that I had a nice largemouth on until I saw it.  I did a good amount of heavy-duty rowing for that one.

I foul-hooked a couple of cats this spring.  Lots of fun until it is time to take them off the hook… The first time I fished there this year, I was on the VA side below Chain Bridge.  I wasn’t having much luck, but a Good Old Boy was reeling in catfish after catfish after catfish.  After a while, he shouted across from me, bragging about his catching and my not.  When I complemented him on doing so well, he told me that last week was better.  He took home 57 catfish after a day’s fishing.  Ate them in one sitting.  Fed his entire family.  The DC license states, in big letters, not to eat catfish, carp, or eels because they are full of PCBs.  I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt.  I don’t think he had a DC license to read. JR

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 Ok.  I asked because when I was at Fletcher’s one evening,  the owner there was anxious to close up to avoid taking a  chance on being held up.

On the evening of my encounter with the GOB, I walked back up to the parking area on the VA side of Chain Bridge to find the extended cab window on the passenger side broken.  Lost a book of CDs.  Does that count? John

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 that well and the travel rod I was using wasn’t ideal for a heavy  Teeny/clouser combo.   I’d get the line out 45-50 feet, which meant  that the fly reached bottom just as it was passing the boat, and  was rising back up no more than 10 feet later.

I used to have a hell of a time throwing sinking lines with my soft St. Croix Pro Graphite until I learned to make an underhand backcast.  I too caught a channel cat in the Potomac many years ago, almost in the same spot that you did. Mu

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After dark is best on stripers with an in-running tide.  Try a black Clouser with yellow eyes and a touch of Crystal Flash. — Wayne To Fish is Human…To Release Divine!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  Just upstream from downtown DC, the Potomac flows  through a heavily wooded gorge alongside the Chesapeake  and Ohio Canal.   Up a ways, but still within DC limits,  is Fletcher’s Boat House, a family business of some 100  years of renting rowboats and canoes.  Also at this time of  the year there are striped bass in the river, and I hadn’t  had a chance to fish for those since late last summer.  According to the boat house web site reports, early morning  was the best time for the stripers.  That aligned neatly with  a late start for meetings on Sunday.  I grabbed a cab from  my hotel and was at the boat house at a quarter to six.  The  boat house was still closed, but one of the owners was down  on the dock getting ready to fish.  He offered to let me take a  rowboat on a promise to do the paperwork and payment when  I got back.  The boat house sits on a shallow inlet.  On the outer edge  of the inlet on the upstream side is a shoal marked by a buoy.  I rowed for that spot, intending to fish the seam between  the river and the inlet just below the shoal.  Since the river  moves at a good clip in the main channel and the water is at  least 10 feet deep, I decided to use my Teeny 300 line.  By now it was 6 AM.  None of the usual weekday noises – from  cars, planes, helicopters –  were in the air, and I could imagine  myself back three hundred years, with nothing downstream  but water and woods, and herring surfacing all over.  I tried a #1 hook clouser first, since I figured that I had the best  chance of getting close to the bottom with it on the fast side of  the seam.  I had some problems with that, since I don’t cast all  that well and the travel rod I was using wasn’t ideal for a heavy Teeny/clouser combo.   I’d get the line out 45-50 feet, which meant  that the fly reached bottom just as it was passing the boat, and  was rising back up no more than 10 feet later.  After a bit of this, casting on both sides of the seam, I decided to  try a white deceiver, tied on a 1/0 hook, partly because it came  closest to looking like the herring that were all over the river.   I  concentrated on the slow side of the seam, letting out some  additional line and letting it dangle, twitching it a bit, when it  was fully downstream from me.  The third time down, something  clobbered the deceiver and I had my first striper on !   Well, a  little striper.  Well, maybe something else.  Well, how about a  modest-sized channel cat ?  Things continued to go downhill after that: I lost the deceiver  on the following cast, then several clousers.  The Fletcher  Boat House guy was fishing upstream from me a ways, and  seemed to have a fish on his line every time I looked up.  I told  myself that he was just bait-fishing, but I didn’t *really* know  that for sure.  Then I snagged bottom again.  Deciding I had lost  one fly too many,  I pulled anchor determined to recover my fly and  then try a slow-moving chute between two large boulders about 100 feet away.  With the anchor up the boat begin to drift quickly  with the current.  Grabbing the oars, while holding on to the rod, I  tried to manipulate three ungainly objects with two hands and in one  of those series of moves –    the very complicated ones which the  great athletes make look easy –  I snapped the fly rod in two.  I rowed back to shore, docked, and watched two deer graze within  40 feet of me before they sauntered off into the woods.  I walked up  to the boat house, now open, with my busted weapon in hand.  Owner #2 gave me some coffee in consolation and then offered to  lend me one of his spinning rods.  I told him that he didn’t *really*  want to do that.  He assured me that he broke as many rods as I did.  I assured him that he didn’t.  All in all, it was a pretty typical outing, tho shorter than most.

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Question:

George Gehrke: shithead. …seems a bit ungentlemanly…

Get it straight, George. I’m the fucking putz. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

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…i hope to have a good granite chisel soon… i think it might be useful with some of my "signature" fly ties as well. jeff (chiseling out more mutants for the masses)

Somehow it seemed so difficult, all attempts just fizzled, this was mainly due it seems, to the fact that they were chiselled, he swore, he cursed, he begged and cried, at last he exclaimed "Dammnit!", how can you get proportions right, in such little bits of granite?". He sweated, learned, and tried again, until he knew some tricks, but no matter what he tried to do, his dry-flies sank like bricks, he tied flies for trout, and bass and pike, and even some for bream, and though he did his level best, results remained a dream.. Years went by, and then at last, enlightenment slowly dawned, frustrating hours and days of work, a new idea then spawned, he tied a whole new series up, and then he went a swapping, all now agreed his perfect flies, were beautiful, simply topping. Time came then at last for him, to pass on the gentle art, this time comes at last you see, to every poor old fart, his pupils marvelled at his skill, his flies even caught bones, how he managed this you ask?  He stuck to chiselling stones! TL MC

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George Gehrke: shithead.

…seems a bit ungentlemanly… jeff

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George Gehrke: shithead. …seems a bit ungentlemanly…

Yeah, but it would make a good epitaph for him just as written. <g — Charlie…

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…i hope to have a good granite chisel soon… i think it might be useful with some of my "signature" fly ties as well. jeff (chiseling out more mutants for the masses) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – George Gehrke: shithead. …seems a bit ungentlemanly… Yeah, but it would make a good epitaph for him just as written. <g — Charlie…

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I happen to think of another answer to your concerns David.  You’re just going to have to take me the way I am.  Someday, you’re going to miss me baby and all this originality and talent!  You’ll be laughing all the way to the river of no return. George Roff & Company "the gang’s all here!" (why fix something when it isn’t broke?) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – George, I say this with true concern – no hate or disgust:  Get some professional help, not with your writing, but with your head. Dave

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David,  trust me.  There is nothing wrong with my head, just too much on my plate.  I have enough E-mail proving how incorrect  your concern is, but I know you to be sincere. Stay loose and don’t sweat the details David.  Roff has too many editors and not enough good writers.  Can you help by contributing something? George – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – George, I say this with true concern – no hate or disgust:  Get some professional help, not with your writing, but with your head. Dave

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George, I say this with true concern – no hate or disgust:  Get some professional help, not with your writing, but with your head. Dave

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Mike, I’ll keep this short and sweet.  You are a serious waste of my valuable time. No one in ROFF needs your kind of  criticisms.  You can’t take criticism yourself and you don’t know how to give advice in a constructive manner.   It must be your ethnic nature and educational back ground?  Therefore: there are no other reasons for me to have a civil conversation with you now or in the near future. By the way, I write just as well as you or anyone else,  given the time.  These seems to elude you entirely because there are many sportsmen (world wide) who disagree with your views and what you stand for.  You’re a competent fly tier. Why don’t you stick with what you do best?  (because you are politically inept, you lack social abilities and graces, besides being a total failure in "people skills")  Take night courses in these subjects then give it another go in  four years.  I cannot offer you better advice Mike. Take care.  End of conversation. George Gehrke "who isn’t interested in those who make personal attacks in public places"

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Nobody gets paid for anything on ROFF. You are not Hemingway, and a number of people would be more than happy if you kept your gratuitous, barely comprehensible, and over-long ramblings, to yourself. Bullshit is bullshit, free or not.  In this case it is not free, it costs money to send tens of kilobytes of rubbish through the ether, some more some less, but it costs everybody money. I can accept that some things must be very bitter for you, this shines through in every post you make, like dim streetlamps glinting reluctantly from the oily whorls on  pools of sewage,  but that

Question:

I believe that extinction is good in some cases of animal life.  The "Muslim Fundamentalist Terrorist" comes to mind.  I think I will dream of "smoking holes" in Afghanistan tonight.

Bear in mind, David, that the Taliban’s conquered victims are trapped in Afghanistan and imprisoned by the civil war and terrorism in their own villages.  Take care not to paint all Arabs or Muslims with the same brush. Most of them are decent people and are undoubtedly horrified by what’s taken place today.  This evil act flies in the face of Islam’s tenets. My great fear right now is that Arab Americans will be victimized as Japanese Americans were during World War II. Sandy

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. My great fear right now is that Arab Americans will be victimized as Japanese Americans were during World War II. Sandy

A legitimate concern but the analogy is wrong. No offense taken. john

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My great fear right now is that Arab Americans will be victimized as Japanese Americans were during World War II. Sandy A legitimate concern but the analogy is wrong. No offense taken. john

In what way, John?

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Exactly what the fuck are you saying? Dave Astounding pictures on the TV of the twin towers, to any of the fishing fraternity caught up or affected comiserations from this side of the pond .Terrible it looks like warfare. The best of luck to the fire fighters . John I have no right or mandate to speak on behalf of anyone else here in the U.K. but I am sure that many of us feel for our American cousins at this time.  Remember, we have felt the bombs, the killing and maiming many times in these islands. Even to those of you who have supported our terrorists – God bless you. Jeff

It would appear, David, that the words "…many of us feel for our American cousins at this time.", are an expression of sympathy.  "Remember, we have felt the bombs, the killing and maiming many times in these islands.", suggests a basis beyond a shared humanity for that sympathy.  "Even to those of you who have supported our terrorists – God bless you.", is, presumably, a reminder that Jeff (along with many others) feels his country is also a victim of terrorists (the Provisional IRA, I assume).  He is also reminding us that many in the U.S. support the activities of that group. The situation in northern ireland is complex enough that there is a great deal of controversy over whether the IRA should be viewed as terrorists or freedom fighters.  I won’t presume to pretend that I can offer a valuable opinion on this matter, but it occurs to me that under the circumstances even our resident idologue could take the stick out of his ass long enough to sit down and reflect. Wolfgang and god bless even you, i guess

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Your comments are inflammatory, and in extremely poor taste…..

Personally, I find them to be neither.  Beyond that, I can’t disagree with anything else you say in your post, which I have snipped to conserve bandwidth. And thank you. Wolfgang

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I believe that extinction is good in some cases of animal life.  The "Muslim Fundamentalist Terrorist" comes to mind.  I think I will dream of "smoking holes" in Afghanistan tonight. Big Chief

It’s too soon to jump to that conclusion. If it turns out, in the fullness of time, that Bin Laden is behind this, then (in the words of a State Dept. official) don’t plan your next vacation in Afghanistan. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

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My thoughts are with the US today. Have strength through your grief and courage and honor in your justice. Clark

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I believe that extinction is good in some cases of animal life.  The "Muslim Fundamentalist Terrorist" comes to mind.  I think I will dream of "smoking holes" in Afghanistan tonight. Big Chief – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Astounding pictures on the TV of the twin towers, to any of the fishing fraternity caught up or affected comiserations from this side of the pond .Terrible it looks like warfare. The best of luck to the fire fighters . John

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I think of the lyrics of Bob Dylan. A hard rain’s a’gonna fall. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

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Astounding pictures on the TV of the twin towers, to any of the fishing fraternity caught up or affected comiserations from this side of the pond .Terrible it looks like warfare. The best of luck to the fire fighters . John

Just spoke to the Pirate at Lakewood – the clave continues.  To do otherwise would be to let the bastards win.  We’re leaving tomorrow morning for Lakewood at 4 am. God bless America Peter

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 I have no right or mandate to speak on behalf of anyone else here in the U.K. but I am sure that many of us feel for our American cousins at this time.  Remember, we have felt the bombs, the killing and maiming many times in these islands. Even to those of you who have supported our terrorists – God bless you. Jeff

Your comments are inflammatory, and in extremely poor taste. It is to be hoped that the animals responsible for this outrage against humanity will be rooted out and destroyed. The sooner the better.  This is purely a matter of self defence. They could strike anywhere. This must be done with care and precision, and as much effort as it takes to achieve.  Ill-considered reactions, are best avoided. Human beings who perpetrate such acts, have relinquished their right to be considered even human, or be treated as such.. A tragedy of this magnitude requires the solidarity of decent people with the victims, as indeed any tragedy does. It is a terrifying lesson to everybody what fanatics may achieve, and where hate and fanaticism leads. The loss of one single life to these animals is a matter of concern to every living person.  Cold blooded and calculated mass murder on this scale is a new dimension of terror. This is not simply a strike against America, but against civilisation. America requires our support, not condemnation, or snide remarks, at this time. MC

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Early reports of AAA and ground explosions in Afganistan. Dave

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Exactly what the fuck are you saying?

I believe he refers to US (popular) support for the Provisional IRA. — Gary (Email address is munged with x’s)

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Exactly what the fuck are you saying? Dave – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Astounding pictures on the TV of the twin towers, to any of the fishing fraternity caught up or affected comiserations from this side of the pond .Terrible it looks like warfare. The best of luck to the fire fighters . John I have no right or mandate to speak on behalf of anyone else here in the U.K. but I am sure that many of us feel for our American cousins at this time.  Remember, we have felt the bombs, the killing and maiming many times in these islands. Even to those of you who have supported our terrorists – God bless you. Jeff

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Astounding pictures on the TV of the twin towers, to any of the fishing fraternity caught up or affected comiserations from this side of the pond .Terrible it looks like warfare. The best of luck to the fire fighters . John

 I have no right or mandate to speak on behalf of anyone else here in the U.K. but I am sure that many of us feel for our American cousins at this time.  Remember, we have felt the bombs, the killing and maiming many times in these islands. Even to those of you who have supported our terrorists – God bless you. Jeff

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Welcome to the 21st Century.  ;-(      - Ken

Driving to Logan this morning I cursed the heavy traffic. Took every back road I knew and in the end gave up and got on the Pike. I realized that after 2hrs for trying to make the 40 mile trip that I was not going to make my flight to NYC. I cursed the world, the overpopulation, lack of public transport, Fastlane, wasting gasoline and, oh, who knows what else. I rebooked myself on the 9.30am Delta shuttle to NYC , which was cancelled about 9:05am with an ominous announcement. I had 3 meetings in and around the WTC. How the minor gripes and annoyances distort our perspective. Superimposed, as it was for me, against what happened, that flight 11 passed overhead as I drove to the airport, that I drove and walked the same path of terrorists and victims alike, I am thankful to God, or Bog, or I Ching or luck to be alive. My prayers and thoughts to the undoubted thousands who are dead. — Gary (Email address is munged with x’s)

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Thank you Sandy.  Any support is appreciated.  Give us Americans time.  We will deal with it. All’s Fair With Fur or Feather gg

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Astounding pictures on the TV of the twin towers, to any of the fishing fraternity caught up or affected comiserations from this side of the pond .Terrible it looks like warfare. The best of luck to the fire fighters . John

Astonishing news. Do the lunatic extremists who did this really expect sympathy? I add my best wishes to the USA, a great country which will surely bounce back. Chris

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Astounding pictures on the TV of the twin towers, to any of the fishing fraternity caught up or affected comiserations from this side of the pond ..Terrible it looks like warfare. The best of luck to the fire fighters . John

I second that  and I hope I never see anything like it again. My family and I send our heartfelt sympathies to everybody who has lost friends or relations. My usual sig. just doesn’t seem appropriate for this post. Sandy (in Scotland)

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Astounding pictures on the TV of the twin towers, to any of the fishing fraternity caught up or affected comiserations from this side of the pond .Terrible it looks like warfare.   It is.

Welcome to the 21st Century.  ;-(      - Ken — "Mere human beings can’t afford to be fanatical about anything. Not even  about justice or loyalty. The fanatic for justice ends by murdering a  million helpless people to clear a space for his law-courts. If we are to  survive on this planet, there must be compromises."         – Storm Jameson

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I say that we take out any group stupid enough to take credit for it…. Dustin – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Astounding pictures on the TV of the twin towers, to any of the fishing fraternity caught up or affected comiserations from this side of the pond .Terrible it looks like warfare. The best of luck to the fire fighters . John No one anywhere in the world escapes the horrible effects of terrorism. This is especially sickening — I’m watching the news right now. This, clearly, is an act of war, as the Pentagon has been hit, and many more will become involved before it’s over. Thanks for your thoughtful post, John. I’ll add my prayers for the victims, their friends and families, and emergency workers. Sandy

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Astounding pictures on the TV of the twin towers, to any of the fishing fraternity caught up or affected comiserations from this side of the pond .Terrible it looks like warfare. The best of luck to the fire fighters . John

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Astounding pictures on the TV of the twin towers, to any of the fishing fraternity caught up or affected comiserations from this side of the pond .Terrible it looks like warfare.

  It is. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The best of luck to the fire fighters . John

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yea….amazing what some folks will do to bring attention to their "causes".. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Astounding pictures on the TV of the twin towers, to any of the fishing fraternity caught up or affected comiserations from this side of the pond .Terrible it looks like warfare. The best of luck to the fire fighters . John

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Astounding pictures on the TV of the twin towers, to any of the fishing fraternity caught up or affected comiserations from this side of the pond .Terrible it looks like warfare. The best of luck to the fire fighters . John

No one anywhere in the world escapes the horrible effects of terrorism. This is especially sickening — I’m watching the news right now. This, clearly, is an act of war, as the Pentagon has been hit, and many more will become involved before it’s over. Thanks for your thoughtful post, John. I’ll add my prayers for the victims, their friends and families, and emergency workers. Sandy

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Question:

I have noticed today that there are  some personal items of Gary LaFontaine up for auction. I know he is struggling with ALS (I believe) but I really hope that his family isn’t having to sell his personal possessions to meet medical costs associated with his illness. I don’t want to start a bitch session about HMOs and the like, but if this is the case it’s pretty bloody awful.

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I have noticed today that there are  some personal items of Gary LaFontaine up for auction. I know he is struggling with ALS (I believe) but I really hope that his family isn’t having to sell his personal possessions to meet medical costs associated with his illness. I don’t want to start a bitch session about HMOs and the like, but if this is the case it’s pretty bloody awful.

This is sad. There’s no cure for ALS and it’s a terrible, painful way to die. I recently read Gary’s book about fishing the high country lakes. I enjoyed it very much and recommend it highly. One thing that came across in the book was how much he loved the extreme physical exertion of that kind of fishing. I’d be honored to give one of Gary’s legendary fishing dogs a home, if it needs one. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

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I read in the letters column of Flyfishing and Tying Journal that one of the publishers was hosting a fund for Gary.  I’ll try to pick up the address Scott

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have noticed today that there are  some personal items of Gary LaFontaine up for auction. I know he is struggling with ALS (I believe) but I really hope that his family isn’t having to sell his personal possessions to meet medical costs associated with his illness. I don’t want to start a bitch session about HMOs and the like, but if this is the case it’s pretty bloody awful. This is sad. There’s no cure for ALS and it’s a terrible, painful way to die. I recently read Gary’s book about fishing the high country lakes. I enjoyed it very much and recommend it highly. One thing that came across in the book was how much he loved the extreme physical exertion of that kind of fishing. I’d be honored to give one of Gary’s legendary fishing dogs a home, if it needs one. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

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Question:

Apologies if this is the wrong place to post this, but a buddy of mine with a Champ and me with my Archer are looking to share a hangar in the Bay Area.  Haven’t found anything but waiting lists, so I thought I’d post here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. best, Miles N6819J

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Hi Mike,     The Bay Area is an absolute nightmare to obtain hanger space.  Most of the airports have LONG waiting lists (like three years).  I think you really only have two options while you wait for a hanger to become available. 1) Settle for a tie-down instead of a hanger (much more available) 2) Hanger your planes much farther away at an outlying bay-area community though they can be just as bad. Even here in the Sacramento valley hangers are at a premium.  I wish I could afford moving to one of the communities where you can taxi your plane into your house-hanger. Good luck, Jeff Wiens N19480

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Apologies if this is the wrong place to post this, but a buddy of mine with a Champ and me with my Archer are looking to share a hangar in the Bay Area.  Haven’t found anything but waiting lists, so I thought I’d post here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. best, Miles N6819J

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Apologies if this is the wrong place to post this, but a buddy of mine with a Champ and me with my Archer are looking to share a hangar in the Bay Area.  Haven’t found anything but waiting lists, so I thought I’d post here.

I met someone the other day who lives in San Jose and said he had just gotten a hangar in Concord.  That’s a drive I would get tired of very fast, but it might be the best you can do. Walter

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Various FBOs will rent you space.  It is going to be expensive, probably close to $500/mo, each.  Tie downs are available.  Also someone said you could rent a hangar in Byron. Another option is to check the boards at the various FBOs and airports, sometimes people are looking for hangar mates. Regarding waiting lists, I am on the hangar list at Livermore.  Been on the single hangar list for 4 years, had an option for a sun shade but passed that up, might get a hangar in 4 more years.  On the twin list for two years, expect to be on that list for 10 years more.  jerry

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Apologies if this is the wrong place to post this, but a buddy of mine with a Champ and me with my Archer are looking to share a hangar in the Bay Area.  Haven’t found anything but waiting lists, so I thought I’d post here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. best, Miles N6819J

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I used to live in Novato and I can tell you that I have frequently flown the approach to Gnoss (and Petaluma) and reached minimums before reaching the TOP of the clouds.   I usually fly there in the summer to go fishing in Tomales Bay, so I need to get in early..  I would not want to be based there. Mike MU-2 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – thanks all, for the feedback. I’m currently tied down at Buchanan in Concord, about 35 min from my swingin’ bachelor pad in the city.  That’s about as far as I’d care to go.  Gnoss would be an ideal choice, but I haven’t done my homework yet on how often the little airport by the bay gets socked in (not to mention getting myself on the list(s) there).  Concord may yet prove to be the best thing going, having both drier conditions and instrument approches, assuming I don’t often want to fly shortly after evening rush hour. thought I might catch someone on this list who needs to sublet for a while, either at concord or elsewhere. best, Miles Various FBOs will rent you space.  It is going to be expensive, probably close to $500/mo, each.  Tie downs are available.  Also someone said you could rent a hangar in Byron. Another option is to check the boards at the various FBOs and airports, sometimes people are looking for hangar mates. Regarding waiting lists, I am on the hangar list at Livermore.  Been on the single hangar list for 4 years, had an option for a sun shade but passed that up, might get a hangar in 4 more years.  On the twin list for two years, expect to be on that list for 10 years more.  jerry Apologies if this is the wrong place to post this, but a buddy of mine with a Champ and me with my Archer are looking to share a hangar in the Bay Area.  Haven’t found anything but waiting lists, so I thought I’d post here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. best, Miles N6819J

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thanks all, for the feedback. I’m currently tied down at Buchanan in Concord, about 35 min from my swingin’ bachelor pad in the city.  That’s about as far as I’d care to go.  Gnoss would be an ideal choice, but I haven’t done my homework yet on how often the little airport by the bay gets socked in (not to mention getting myself on the list(s) there).  Concord may yet prove to be the best thing going, having both drier conditions and instrument approches, assuming I don’t often want to fly shortly after evening rush hour. thought I might catch someone on this list who needs to sublet for a while, either at concord or elsewhere. best, Miles – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Various FBOs will rent you space.  It is going to be expensive, probably close to $500/mo, each.  Tie downs are available.  Also someone said you could rent a hangar in Byron. Another option is to check the boards at the various FBOs and airports, sometimes people are looking for hangar mates. Regarding waiting lists, I am on the hangar list at Livermore.  Been on the single hangar list for 4 years, had an option for a sun shade but passed that up, might get a hangar in 4 more years.  On the twin list for two years, expect to be on that list for 10 years more.  jerry Apologies if this is the wrong place to post this, but a buddy of mine with a Champ and me with my Archer are looking to share a hangar in the Bay Area.  Haven’t found anything but waiting lists, so I thought I’d post here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. best, Miles N6819J

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Question:

Mark, Stay loose and keep trying.That’s why they call it fishing and not catching. You were going to C & R anyways. Correct pressure it’s just a matter of experience. You have to take into consideration if the fish is going upstream, down strean, how much string you have out, fish size.Just hang in there,have fun.     Capt. Dan **** Posted from RemarQ – http://www.remarq.com – Discussions Start Here ™ ****

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Not to rain on your parade, but… <heavy downpour snipped

Most of your points are well taken.   However, to make the story as interesting, yet as brief as possible, considerable details and irrelevent narrative were omitted from a long day of fishing.   Had I included everything, I have no doubt you would be impressed with our ambassadorship for fly fishing, our sportsmanship, and the number of fish hooked and played by nearby anglers whist we stood by courteously and patiently when it was our turn to do so.   You would also have been exceptionally bored.   It’s a big river; and we neither monopolized any good holes, caught all the fish, nor substantially interfered with anyone’s enjoyment of the day.   It was a fine day fishing for all; this story was but a snapshot of a moment. Lighten up, eh? If you were right, however, you’d have been right. Joe

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0] : Everybody see the theme happening here?  "Put a little pressure on ‘em?"  My : story: snipped: account of fishing for goldens : Still haven’t caught my first golden.. : -Mark : — Goldens aren’t hard to catch in wilderness streams provided they don’t see you first. They are ultra spooky. The whole secret is stealth. A six incher will scarf up a #10 Royal Wulff or just about anything else in your flybox, and there will be no question of being hooked up–he’ll be on. Just keep low, behind a bush or a rock–you don’t need a fancy cast, just get the fly on the water drifting reasonably. Actually I’ll suggest 14’s and 16’s are a more appropriate for the size of the typical golden, and are taken just as enthusiastically as 10’s. Mike — Michael McGuire                     Hewlett Packard Laboratories  (remove x’s from email if not      Palo Alto, CA 94303-0971   a spammer) Phone: (650)-857-5491              

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My buddy and I were fishing the Salmon River (NY) last fall during the annual salmon run.   We were there maybe a bit late for the peak of the run, and a lot of the fish in the river had been there a while and were a bit worn out.   Not that it wasn’t fun anyway, but once in a while, we’d hook into a really fresh fish with tons of energy.   These guys would take off like a freight train, jumping and taking you well into your backing going straight upstream.   Using an 8 or 10 pound tippet on these big fish necessarily made for a long difficult fight, but we had learned from experience when we could safely "put a little pressure ‘em" and when to let ‘em run.   The spinning rod guys, of course, had a lot less trouble dragging them out with 30# mono and so were somewhat impatient, but generally courteous, when we took our time bringing one in. On the last day of our trip, I worked a faster stretch, and my buddy was working a flat stretch upstream about 50 yards.   We were both hooking up fairly often, but he was really nailing them.   Every other time I looked up there it seemed, his rod was bent over while the spinning guys stood by with their lines out of the water.   I didn’t realize how frustrated some of the other fishermen were with this arrangement until I hooked the big one. Fishing an egg pattern, I saw my line hesitate and set the hook. Instantly, the big salmon sprinted upstream, jumping three times on the way. "Fish coming up!" I yelled upstream, and a half dozen or so other fishermen obliged me by pausing their casting.   The fish was so fast and strong, I quickly decided to walk upstream after him.   He was already 100 yards away and my drag was still singing.   That’s when I saw him.   Not the fish, the guy with the net.   This fish wasn’t even close to tired, but some nut case, tired of standing aroung waiting for another fly fisherman to land a fish, charged into the river and tried to scoop him out.   As tight as my tippet was stretched, even the slightest bump with that net would have cost me the fish instantly. To my relief, he only succeeded in scaring the hell out of it and it sped across to the other side of the river.   As I’m running up the shore to stop this guy, he practically sprints across the river (no small feat) in pursuit of my fish.   He’s still too far away to stop him when the fish reaches the shallows on the far bank.   The fish still has tons of strength left when "net man" get there.   He takes one stab at the fish with the net and the fish sprints upstream again.   My line wraps around net man’s legs and that was all she wrote.   I was still too far away to even curse at the guy.   I just walked back downstream and reeled in the slack.

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Everybody see the theme happening here?  "Put a little pressure on ‘em?"  My story: We were fishing in the 20 lakes basin of California.  I am new to California fishing and newer to fly fishing, I grew up in Michigan.  My buddy Paul and I had no trouble landing a couple delicious brookies the day before in the backcountry, and stocked rainbows from Saddlebag lake to days prior (my buddy Paul makes an excellent trout breakfast scramble).  But we’re really looking for the gold.. Golden Trout.  We try at several lakes and streams with no luck for goldens (just a brookie or two).. as we head further back into the backcountry, we come upon a stream that looks promising.  The bank is about 10 feet above the stream.. and we approach low as the sun is high, though not high enough for us to cast a shadow.. and we see them.  Goldens.. moving slowly left to right, slowing to inspect possible food sources (not rising) then continuing.  Since we’re backpacking, I’m using a fenwick fly/spin rod that doesn’t excel at either but packs well..  and I tie on my nymphs one by one, throwing them from the bank (I am NOT a good flyfisher.. my casts still have the grace of a collapsing bridge), staying low.. and we watch them ignore our offerings.  Paul (with only spinning gear) tosses out spinners and lures 40 feet downstream with no luck either.  After an hour or two of fruitless fishing up and down the section of stream, we quit fishing to have some burbon and nutrition.. and we watch the Goldens pass by like we’re in some kind of twisted dentist’s office.  Paul tells me about a pool he found downstream that might have a good evening bite.. so after a few hours of short hikes and exploring, I go back to camp, grab my gear and head to the pool.  Paul is already there, watching the evening rise.. wishing HE had brought his fly gear.  But Paul has proven why I like to pack with him.. he gives me first shot at the shittish rising Goldens with my fly gear.  I tie on a caddis, approach low, cast upstream.. and the fly stops dead, ripple, SET HOOK and golden on!    He jumps (yep, looks like a Golden, we estimate he’s at about 14-16"), heads upstream, yanking off my line.. all the while I’m having 2nd thoughts about my set.. the timing wasn’t great, didn’t feel real solid.  I decide, in order to make sure the hook is in, I’ll "put a lttle pressure on…" to further set the hook. Yep, game over, fishy all gone, we’re done for the evening (even though we didn’t know it at the time). Still haven’t caught my first golden.. -Mark — Particle Salad/ Noom Room Studio http://home.earthlink.net/~psalad

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I was guiding a client last year on the Ocanuluftee river in the smokies.The water was high and murky and I tied on one of my prince variations for him on a 5X tippet. After fishing the first eddy I put him on he asked me if this was a joke.By the third eddy he fished he changed his tune.He hooked up about three feet off the bank and said I think I’m hung up! I told him to set the hook harder! He said but I’m hung up! I said It’s a big fish buddy put it to him! He jerked the rod sharply and the fish exploded! I screamed get downstream of him before he makes his run! It was too late! The fish lipped the pool and headed into class five water.He held the rod high as the reel sang it’s song.After about 120 yards the fish parted the leader.He said I didn’t know there were fish like that up this high.I replied’ I didn’t either. Moral to the story"Never under estimate the brown trout and use 2X tippet when the water’s murky!                                                                                 Tim

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In my youth, I was a bait fisherman, just like my dad.   We were fishing the Chesapeake Bay near the Md/Va line and doing pretty well against some sea trout in about 70 ft of water.   As usual, just as the sun starts going down and the wind picks up, the fishing starts getting really good, but it’s time to go in.   Just before I reel in for the last time, I feel a bump and haul back on my rod.    I got it, but what?   Instantly it takes off south, aided by a 2 knot current.   I’m using a medium stiff spinning rod and 18-lb line, but he’s just peeling it off at high speed.   This is the fish of a lifetime.   After what seemed like a minute, but was probably only15 seconds, the line goes slack.   I’m deflated.   On reeling in, I find lots of nicks in what’s left.   Probably a big bluefish, maybe a shark, I’ll never know.   Man was that a fish. Joe

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I often remember the big fish that I’ve lost, especially from a mistake I made.  Any interest in exchanging the tales?  Herewith a modest contribution.

(Section deleted) Finally hooked a carp. I can remember fishing for Bluegill in my favorite section of Big Bear

Lake with my 3wt when I hooked into a monster.  It took about 20 minutes to get this thing close to me.  The largest Bluegill I’ve ever seen.  It was absolutely HUGE!! I wanted to keep it as I knew nobody would believe me when I told them how big. I had no net with me, after all who needs to net Bluegill.  I couldn’t get my hand around him and being a Bluegill couldn’t put my thumb in is mouth. No way to grab him !!!  Finally my 6x tippet gave way.  I dropped my rod and tried to grab with both hands, but he just slowly swam away. The following week I heard someone had caught a 4lb  9oz record the very next day. I guess you just can’t win them all. Bill

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Good thread, Michael. Fishing on the Beaverhead two years ago, floating below Dillon with the pontoon boat.  Slow day in September, having to pound them up and not much sucess at that either.   Dropped a two nymph rig into a drop-off that must have been 15 feet deep, and just let it sink – fooling around, mostly.  WHAM.  Rod bends straight down (like I was jigging for 10 pound crappies or something).  Five seconds later leader pops at, of all places, the nail knot attachment to the fly line.  Lost the entire leader.  First and only time that has ever happened to me, but now I carry an extra leader. Then there was the time…… (man, I got a load of these kind of stories) Mark Faulkner

Oh Mark, you brought back bad memories.  I had been fishing the Bow River in Alberta for three days and my luck had been so-so.  it was getting dark and I worked my way up to this flat, just upstream of a spot called Policeman’s.  I could see regular rises and there was one large regular one at the tail of an almost imperceptible seam.  I drift a #14 Henryville down, the rainbow took it and headed into the current with me hanging on for dear life.  I put a bit of pressure on and ping!!!, the leader parts in the middle.  Standing there looking at half my leader, I remember stepping on it earlier when releasing a small fish.  Must have nicked it with a stud.  Damn.  Would have been the best fish I had in a while. Peter Email address hacked. Remove -delete-this- to email a reply.

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These first few aren’t huge but memorable nonetheless… I guess there’s one every season or so for me,  a brown that took a hares ear spider on one side of the river, and immediately bolted for a single snag/branch hanging into the water clear across stream and promptly wrapped the leader around it, I barely had set the hook. Same river, two years or so earlier, a rainbow picked up a damsel nymph hit the main main current, crossed the current to a backwater on the other bank 20 yards downstream leapt and hung the line up in a bush. Then there are the bruisers … usually in backwaters … I did my first and only float trip last year … what a revelation.  This damned river Goulburn is much maligned as being difficult to fish and so it is, if you are looking for a swag of fish taken in runs, glides etc. Naturally things are differnt during a hatch, then selectivbity is a problem. On that trip I was broken in a backwater on the strike to a parachute dun, guide reckons "Biig"  …hard to tell I guess, but the sight of that dun disappearing is something I won’t forget, damn fish charged it and managed to break the fly-knot on 6 lb tippet when I lifted into him. Man there is some serious recovery time needed after things like that. The best thing about that trip though was I found where the fish were, very few mid-stream, mostly backwaters and hard against the bank near overhang branches and the like.  It gave me confidence in the water I knew there where fish and roughly where … so now I fish it with a heap of confidence, knowing that patience will pay off. Two weeks after the float, I returned foot, I watched backwaters relly looked and sure enough, 2lb plus fish accessible form the bank admittedly in tricky circumstances.  I spotted a much larger brown cruising a particular back water 6 times , always he’d be coming toward me or I’d be caugth in the open and couldn’t move … on the seven occasion the wind blew and riffled the water as he swam away .. the size 14 heavy wire fiery-brown nymph was taken, I lifted and all hell broke loose in the shallow water.  I couldn’t afford to let him run at all because of logs, and you guessed it … the hook straightened.  I cursed a little and *laughed* a hell of a lot while untangling leaderr and line from around my ears and hat, checked my watch –  one cast in 3 hours and worth every last second of it. That float trip has changed the way I fish ~that~ river forever. Geez …then there a the lake fish …. Steve

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I agree, this is a great thread. Last Memorial Day, I joined my Father-In-Law on the Potholes Res. in Central Washington.  He enjoys fishing for walleye so was rigged up and trolling for them.  I personally don’t care for spiny rays so had my rod rigged with my favorite Wolly Bugger pattern. After 30 minutes the fish finder turns black with fish and I start pounding nice 14 inch rainbows.  My next hit, the reel starts screaming and I was totally unpreparred for this size of fish (even though the lake is known to have 10 pound plus rainbows in it.)   After about 20 seconds the hook pulls out.  I reel in and check my fly and leader and cast it back out.  Two minutes later, I am into another monster fish that has the reel on meltdown again. This time I was ready for it  and proceeded to adjust the drag while my Father-in-Law cranked up the downriggers and was getting to turn the boat around to give chase.   In that short period of time, the fish was within 10 feet of spooling me with the drag cranked all the way down when the fly popped loose again.  It never did slow down. Mike Wilson Fishing!! What else is there?

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I often remember the big fish that I’ve lost, especially from a mistake I made.  Any interest in exchanging the tales?

    This is a little long…    Jackson and I had spent most of the morning trying to gain access from ranchers to the river.  We knew from maps that the state had designated it "Gold Medal Water" but we were determined to get on it somewhere other than the few public acess points.     At the time Jackson was tractor salesman for Case power equipment so it seemd he was the right one to go knocking on strangers doors.  After all, they all owned tractors.  The hard part was guessing who were the Case guys and who were the John Deers!!  A fella can be kinda partial to his heavy machinery, right up there with the pickup.     And so it went – "No", after "No" after nobody home,  when finally we hit paydirt.     "Be sure to close the gate!"     Always obey this request.  We were in.  A short drive and we came upon the water – wide and slow, winding through hay fields.  We began to walk down current and came to a hard dog leg in the stream.  A nice backeddy curled against the current.  As we looked the risers became evident.  Jackson patted me on the back – a little harder than I liked, but that was OK, our mission was accomplished.     There was such an abundance of available food for these fish – terresterials and aquatics alike, that we really didn’t know what to use.  One thing was certain – it was going to be dry.     I went with a #14 irresistable and proceeded to put down every fish I cast to.  Well, not put down exactly, they would simply move five feet ahead of where I could reach after a couple of presentations.  Jackson was having the same kind of success.     I had started fishing down stream of the bend, but soon found myself standing right in it with the trout now rising behind me.  That’s when Mike (Jackson) called me.     "Jonnie boy – check this dude!"     I climbed out of the stream and walked over to him.  From where he was standing I saw nothing at first.  Then she breeched.  Such a rainbow I’d never been this close to.  The rise was stupid big.  Just a big old bug sucking spotted maw followed by the back of a buffalo and the vertical tail of a whale.     This fish was working less than two feet from shore faceing straight into the current.  The assortment of insects seemed to delight him judging by the way he steadily fed.  I tried to watch what he was eating but it was futile.  There was just too much. I actually watched this pig eat a yellow jacket.     Mike offered up the trout to me; he was going to watch.  I eased into the current no more than 20 feet down stream and waited.  I let this trout rise four or five times before even stripping out line.  I wanted a solid bead on his lie, and I wanted him happy.     My first cast was short.  I waited for one more rise and made a second.  It was perfect.  The irresistable floated happily right over his lie.  Dammitt. Again I waited for him to show.  Then I tried to time it – kind of like a surfer counting waves.     It was time.  The cast was true and it was clear – even before it happened – that this was the cast.  Mike knew it too and even called out – just before he struck – "That’s it".     He was right.     That trout took so confidently that I had to laugh.  I did.  Then I really started laughing as the fish made an immediate downstream run.  Downstream? This I was not ready for.  Don’t ask me why.  The fish swam right passed me.  I could have hit him with the rod. I stripped my wet ass off to keep the line tight and then right back out again and suddenly on the reel.  The old Medalist chugged and groaned and I suddenly realised this fish was well on it’s way to spooling me.  I clammered out of the stream and up onto the high bank.     Mr. fish was an easy 60 yards into the backing when I had this great idea. Instead of continuing the chase on foot I’d:     "Put a little pressure on him"     Famous last words.  The hook had simply pulled free.  I fell back into the tall golden grass and held my forehead.  Jackson was quick to produce a flask of good scotch.  Dam that was a good belt of whisky.   JE JE

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Wish this was mine, but it’s a good story anyway… My brother in law live in LA, and he’s a fishing nut! I took him to the quality waters here in New Mexico with a guide ’cause the water was flowing at almost 5000 cfm. We’re in Texas hole, and close to the top of the hole. He casts to the rapids, and gets a strike, a big one! He asks the guide what to do, and the guide say’s let him run. He ran about a hundred yards and tied up the line in a tree. I never heard a fly reel scream like that in my life! Sure wish it would have been me….

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Michael Goldstein wrote [great thread snipped] Long before I started fly fishing, when I was 12, I fished for bonito from a "bait barge" in Long Beach harbor.  I was fishing a live anchovy in the usual manner with no weight…just the free swimming bait fish.  (I’ve been told by my marine fishing buddies that this type of fishing is called ‘fly fishing’ … go figure). Anyway, on one particular day I was fishing with my $10 trout rod/reel spinning combo I had bought at Thrifty Drug store…You know, the cheap little spinning jobs where the line is always getting caught underneath the spool and wrapped around the axle.  (You probably have to be at least 35 years old to know the cheap little reel I’m talkin about).  Anyway, on this one particular day here I was with my bait in the water and the line caught up and wrapped under the spool in the usual fashion.  In this situation there’s nothing to do but remove the spool and unwind the tangle.  So, while I had the spool off and I’m unwrapping the line, a bonito hits…don’t know how big, but those of you who’ve caught ‘em know how they run when they hit that anchovy. So here I am, with the spool off and the fish pulling away like crazy and my trying to get control and put the spool back on … and the damn fish pulled the whole rig out of my hands and over the rail…rod, reel … everything gone. I was not a happy camper that day! —                                                       -dnc-

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I often remember the big fish that I’ve lost, especially from a mistake I made.  Any interest in exchanging the tales?  Herewith a modest contribution. (Section deleted) Finally hooked a carp. I can remember fishing for Bluegill in my favorite section of Big Bear Lake with my 3wt when I hooked into a monster.  It took about 20 minutes to get this thing close to me.  The largest Bluegill I’ve ever seen.  It was absolutely HUGE!! I wanted to keep it as I knew nobody would believe me when I told them how big. I had no net with me, after all who needs to net Bluegill.  I couldn’t get my hand around him and being a Bluegill couldn’t put my thumb in is mouth. No way to grab him !!!  Finally my 6x tippet gave way.  I dropped my rod and tried to grab with both hands, but he just slowly swam away. The following week I heard someone had caught a 4lb  9oz record the very next day. I guess you just can’t win them all. Bill

While liveing in San Mateo Fl. one of my neibors was going to St. Augustine with his boat to fish and asked me to go along. My only rod at the time was a bamboo 7wt 7′ and I thought a mudler minnow with a straight leader of 20lb test would work fine in salt. We were up under the bridge of lions when I thought I was bottom hung. I started to be able gently to crank in line with just a bit of trouble when this shadow started to show and my buddy asked what the hell I had. As it came up I saw the eye of the most god awful tarpon I had ever even heard of. At that point he decided this was a bit more than a minor nuisance. There was this terrific splash of water and he was gone, my fly rod was broken just above the grip and all I could do was sit there shaking, looking at the busted rod. That was a 14′ boat and that fish was at least half the boat size. That is the truth although I can understand any disbeliefe.                                                         John Popp                                                       in Sanford Fl.

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – These first few aren’t huge but memorable nonetheless… I guess there’s one every season or so for me,  a brown that took a hares ear spider on one side of the river, and immediately bolted for a single snag/branch hanging into the water clear across stream and promptly wrapped the leader around it, I barely had set the hook. Same river, two years or so earlier, a rainbow picked up a damsel nymph hit the main main current, crossed the current to a backwater on the other bank 20 yards downstream leapt and hung the line up in a bush. Then there are the bruisers … usually in backwaters … I did my first and only float trip last year … what a revelation.  This damned river Goulburn is much maligned as being difficult to fish and so it is, if you are looking for a swag of fish taken in runs, glides etc. Naturally things are differnt during a hatch, then selectivbity is a problem. On that trip I was broken in a backwater on the strike to a parachute dun, guide reckons "Biig"  …hard to tell I guess, but the sight of that dun disappearing is something I won’t forget, damn fish charged it and managed to break the fly-knot on 6 lb tippet when I lifted into him. Man there is some serious recovery time needed after things like that. The best thing about that trip though was I found where the fish were, very few mid-stream, mostly backwaters and hard against the bank near overhang branches and the like.  It gave me confidence in the water I knew there where fish and roughly where … so now I fish it with a heap of confidence, knowing that patience will pay off. Two weeks after the float, I returned foot, I watched backwaters relly looked and sure enough, 2lb plus fish accessible form the bank admittedly in tricky circumstances.  I spotted a much larger brown cruising a particular back water 6 times , always he’d be coming toward me or I’d be caugth in the open and couldn’t move … on the seven occasion the wind blew and riffled the water as he swam away .. the size 14 heavy wire fiery-brown nymph was taken, I lifted and all hell broke loose in the shallow water.  I couldn’t afford to let him run at all because of logs, and you guessed it … the hook straightened.  I cursed a little and *laughed* a hell of a lot while untangling leaderr and line from around my ears and hat, checked my watch –  one cast in 3 hours and worth every last second of it. That float trip has changed the way I fish ~that~ river forever. Geez …then there a the lake fish …. Steve

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I often remember the big fish that I’ve lost, especially from a mistake I made.  Any interest in exchanging the tales?  Herewith a modest contribution. I often fish a pond near my house in Princeton, NJ which contains sunnys, smallmouth, and HUGE carp, i.e. 10+ lbs.  Generally, I’ll try to catch the smallmouth, switching to the carp if I see them cruising.  But in a year of hit-and-miss trying, I’ve never gotten a carp on.  They are extremely spooky, and even if you get a nymph on their nose while they’re tailing (generally what I’m trying to do), it’s very hard to read a take. It’s late Fall, and the pond is already cold enough that the smallmouth aren’t hitting.  Rather than go home skunked, I switch to a smaller streamer that is more likely to catch a sunny (though it still might attract a bass). On the first cast of the new streamer, it stops after a short retrieve. Now, if you’ve ever fished for smallmouth you know that one of the problems with catching them is hooking them.  Their jaws are so powerful that even if you try to set the hook hard, once, they may have the fly locked in their jaws, and will spit it out after a few seconds.  So, hoping the fish might be a smallmouth, I lock the line against the rod and hit it a second time. The theory here is that, with six pound tippet, it won’t matter if I lock up against a sunny, or even a smallmouth (which on this pond rarely get bigger than 2 pounds).  But I want to make sure the hook is set. As I’m pulling on the line, I see a grey torpedo explode from the bottom of the pond near my fly.  The acceleration is so rapid that a bow wave builds up in front of it across the entire width of the pond (maybe 150 feet).  My jaw drops as I react to the awesome power display, and try to track the streak with my rod tip.  It takes me a second to realize I should release my lock on the line, but as I do, the 6 lb tippet parts. Finally hooked a carp.

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Michael Goldstein: <<I often remember the big fish that I’ve lost, especially from a mistake I made.  Any interest in exchanging the tales? (good story snipped) I was fishing a river in Maine, early in the season which means I was lobbing big streamers with a 6 weight.  I had a reel on that did not have the best drag system, and hitched into a *very* big fish.  He zoomed across the pool and was headed down-stream to the next pool when I palmed my reel — palmed it too much, that is. The tippet broke and a couple of guys near me gasped in disappointment. About 30 minutes later a local fisherman started fishing and I thought his set up strange:  He had a sinking line, very short leader, and was tying on a #10 White Wulff.  He cast into the current and when the fly was down stream he retreaved it *very* slowly.  On his second cast, He was into a big fish.  I left the water, put my rod down and watched him land a 28 inch Togue (laketrout that gets into a river).  The togue had my white Zonker in his jaw, right next to the White Wulff!  He killed the togue, tied it to his Maine basket, packed up and left.  He had his supper.   Dave LaCourse

Response:

I often fish a pond near my house in Princeton, NJ which contains sunnys, smallmouth, and HUGE carp, i.e. 10+ lbs.  Generally, I’ll try to catch the smallmouth, switching to the carp if I see them cruising.  But in a year of hit-and-miss trying, I’ve never gotten a carp on.  They are extremely spooky, …

I’ve never caught a carp on a nymph or a streamer, only on mulberry flies. When the mulberries get ripe and drop into the water you toss a hunk of purple yarn under the tree. Some folks scatter bread crumbs on a spot for a week or two then use a "bread crumb" fly to catch carp. I don’t, I feel guilty enough about the mulberries. — Ken Fortenberry

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I often remember the big fish that I’ve lost, especially from a mistake I made.  Any interest in exchanging the tales?

We were camped at Rainbow Lake, about 10,000 ft above sea level on the Doubletop Mt. Trail in the Wind River Range. Finis Mitchell’s book claimed that Rainbow Lake was an excellent fishery. Being a flatlander I was not very good at unlocking the secrets of a high alpine lake. I tried my whole bag of lake methods and being limited to fishing from the shore, (no float tube or boat), I got discouraged and inattentive. I had a muddler minnow that I tossed purposefully but retrieved casually. On one of the strips of the retrieve, while I was planning where to make the next "perfect" cast, something hit that muddler so hard it took muddler tippet and all. I just wasn’t paying attention. — Ken Fortenberry

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I often fish a pond near my house in Princeton, NJ which contains sunnys, smallmouth, and HUGE carp, i.e. 10+ lbs.  Generally, I’ll try to catch the smallmouth, switching to the carp if I see them cruising.  But in a year of hit-and-miss trying, I’ve never gotten a carp on.  They are extremely spooky, …

Folklore says that carp can feel the vibrations you impart to the line   (movement, heartbeat and breathing). If you want to catch them, get a y shaped stick and shove the straight end into the ground. Prop up the fishing rod with the y shaped part of the stick. If you are using a fly, watch for line movement unrelated to the current flow. The subtle line movement (especially in calmer waters) around the shore will indicate a carp or sucker is on the line. When you see the movement, pick up the rod and set the hook. Failure to do so will possibly mean that your fly rod will be yanked into the water by the carp/sucker. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I’ve never caught a carp on a nymph or a streamer, only on mulberry flies. When the mulberries get ripe and drop into the water you toss a hunk of purple yarn under the tree. Some folks scatter bread crumbs on a spot for a week or two then use a "bread crumb" fly to catch carp. I don’t, I feel guilty enough about the mulberries. — Ken Fortenberry

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I often remember the big fish that I’ve lost, especially from a mistake I made.  Any interest in exchanging the tales?  Herewith a modest contribution.

I’ve got two 12 years or so ago I was fishing the Androscoggin River somewhere near Errol, NH during the famed alder fly hatch. As dark was coming on I was fishing a nice pool and I noticed a fish sipping flies in a back eddy behind a rock, I dropped a fly on him and got a beautiful head and tail rise, to my amazement the fish was quite large, I missed him and he never came back up. The next day I got position in the same pool fairly early and just at dark there he was. I dropped my fly on him and he took it, I setup and my reel began to scream as he headed out into the main current. About 10 yards out he popped the leader. I thought well ok and then the fish leapt out of the water 4 times, each time furthur out in the river, apparantly trying to spit the hook. I esitmate the fish was between 25-30", at that time possibly the biggest trout I had ever hooked. A few years ago fishing for browns in a Maine river  at dark I cast on a sipper. I set the hook and my rod bent right to the water, the reel began to scream as the fish ran downriver. I pulled the anchor in the boat to drift with the fish as my partner manned the oars. This was the biggest fish I have ever hooked (I think) the fish stripped me to the backing, turned up stream and came off as the line went slack ( I was stripping in like a madman but not fast enough). I never saw him, just felt the power and dream of a rematch! dave

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Good thread, Michael. Fishing on the Beaverhead two years ago, floating below Dillon with the pontoon boat.  Slow day in September, having to pound them up and not much sucess at that either.   Dropped a two nymph rig into a drop-off that must have been 15 feet deep, and just let it sink – fooling around, mostly.  WHAM.  Rod bends straight down (like I was jigging for 10 pound crappies or something).  Five seconds later leader pops at, of all places, the nail knot attachment to the fly line.  Lost the entire leader.  First and only time that has ever happened to me, but now I carry an extra leader. Then there was the time…… (man, I got a load of these kind of stories) Mark Faulkner

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Then there was the time…… (man, I got a load of these kind of stories)

Yeah, me too.  The most painful fish I ever lost…. Last year I went with a friend to fish the classic chalk streams of England. One day we’re fishing the Lodden.  The water was off color that day, and nothing was rising.  So I start, like any self respecting American fisherman, working a nymph, not realizing it’s not allowed on this river. (The guide is a young chap who’s filling in for the guy who booked the trip, and he doesn’t know either.)  Anyway, so I’m fishing to a bunch of fish that have never seen an artificial nymph, and iIt’s a perfect river for this kind of fishing, as the fish have concentrated in some deep holes. In one hole, having taken a bunch of fish — easily 10 in the 2  lbs. class in less than an hour, all stockers — I see a huge shape flash on, then refuse, my bead-head hare’s ear. After a dozen casts, and no further luck, I tie on a "large olive bead head damsel nymph, tied Matuka style". In other words, a wooly bugger. Sacrilege in these parts, even where nymphing is OK. I just happened to have one in my vest, and the guide is helping my friend, so he can’t object. I feel deliciously wicked. I’m fishing on a short line on the dead drift. On the second cast the line hesitates, and I lift the rod. The resistance is so firm, I’m sure it’s bottom. But then the line starts to vibrate. It’s a bloody great fish! The line noses down, then my reel screams as the fish takes off across the pool. Then down again, there’s nothing I can do but let it run. Then upstream 20 yards, with me chasing it along the bank.  I get a good look at it, it’s a huge brown trout, at least 30"! Then across to the far bank into the reeds. I put some side pressure on him and the line goes limp! Broken off at the fly. When we were fishing drys, the guide had put on 7x tippet, and I hadn’t realized. With 2.5 pound breaking strength, I’ve been too forceful. To make it even worse, guide points out that this was undoubtedly a wild fish, since the stocked trout are rarely more than 2 pounds, or 20 inches. I feel ill, mentally replaying the fatal sideways pressure, wishing I had shortened the tippet to a 6 lbs. breaking strenght 4x.  In the stained water, nymphing, it would have been fine.   It takes me about an hour before I have the heart to fish again!

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Question:

Tom, I hate to drizzle on your parade, but I think a reasonable inference from the photos of the original 13 patterns in the Treatise (as interpreted by the famous angling historian Jack Heddon) is that at least 2 were caddis imitations, the Ruddy Fly and the Black Leaper. These are downwing flies whereas the "Dun" flies have upwings. If you agree, it means caddis imitations were among the earliest known patterns. Paul Marriner – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : Hi–   I read Wright’s 1972 book, _Fishing the Dry Fly as a Living Insect_, : with much interest.  Certainly new to me! : But did Wright invent the caddis fly, as someone posted? : Weren’t some of the earliest known flies caddis imitations? A lot of the FF tradition was brought from England, and a lot of that was, to be polite, mayflycentric ;-^) Most of the early patterns were for mayflies; it was only later that folks began to seriously imitate caddises, stoneflies, terrestrials, etc. — 3798 Woodland Drive     voice: (250) 368-9315 Trail, BC               data:  (250) 368-9341

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: Hi–   I read Wright’s 1972 book, _Fishing the Dry Fly as a Living Insect_, : with much interest.  Certainly new to me! : But did Wright invent the caddis fly, as someone posted? : Weren’t some of the earliest known flies caddis imitations? A lot of the FF tradition was brought from England, and a lot of that was, to be polite, mayflycentric ;-^) Most of the early patterns were for mayflies; it was only later that folks began to seriously imitate caddises, stoneflies, terrestrials, etc. — 3798 Woodland Drive     voice: (250) 368-9315 Trail, BC               data:  (250) 368-9341

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – While Leonard Wright did not "invent" the caddisfly, it’s said he was first the white man to meet one, long ago, in the days when even insects could speak.  Mr. Wright was ever a man of edges, and curious, so he immediately proceeded to question the bug. "I watched a trout eat one of your brethren," said he.  "And since it’s widely known by narrow minds that trout eat only mayflies, I must ask: Are you merely a mayfly, rather badly bent?" The mayfly, a lady, and an elegant princess of a family ignored by anglers, demurred.  "Oh no," she whispered, and shyly lifted a folded wing, revealing herself from thorax to rounded abdomen.   "So I see," said Mr. Wright, noting the absence of tails, "and you are certainly lovely." The poor caddis, overwhelmed with pleasure, oviposited right there and then, swooned, fell to the stream and twitched twice, which caused her to be eaten by a three-pound brook trout Wright had seen it all.  He thrilled to the meeting, grasped its meaning, sat to his vise.   The rest is history, of course.  An  evolution, in a way, for imbedded in those eggs that lady caddis lay, deep in their DNA, remained a memory of Wright’s attention, captured forever in a charming moment…   And that is why, fellow anglers, that even today, a descendent of Lady Caddifly may see you on a stream, mistake you for another brave Maverick– And flutter.   From a review of <Trout Maverick in <California Fly Fisher: ….History and instruction aside, there’s another reason to read Wright carefully, perhaps the most compelling: Wright is a <thinker.  Occasionally philosophical, sentimental about split cane and gut leaders, he is most keen when he puzzles and prods, experiments, dismisses traditional assumptions when "a bleak, black day" demands something different and new.  He’s not the kind of fisher who, facing failure, will do what’s prescribed until the sun goes down; Wright wonders, tinkers and tries.  If his successes leave him with a dim view of purists, Wright certainly doesn’t blink an apology… …at the heart of Wright’s writing is appreciation for independent examination, for the willingness to study closely, trust what you see, and proceed from there.  In the end  <Trout Maverick is as heretical as this:  "…when you start observing flies and fly behavior for yourself without relying on some other man’s word, you’ll find a whole new and productive world of fishing."

  It can be discouraging wading through the newsgroups sometimes but I suspect that this is the sort of post that keeps many of us coming back. I read the post yesterday asking if Mr Wright had invented the caddisfly and simply moved on with a mental roll of my eyes.  Mriffler was inspired to greatness and my evening is better for it. I will look to his posts in the future.  

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To whom it may concern, The other day I made a critical reference to the book "Fishing the Dry Fly as a Living Insect", Leonard M. Wright. My remark was about what I saw as conceipt by the author. That, I got the feeling that he thought he discovered the caddisfly. That he stores silk lines in the freezer made him an elitist prick, that sort of thing… Well…it’s funny how humility looks you up and hunts you down. I have since learned that Leonard M. Wright is a very elderly gentleman now, nearly if not ecclipsing 80. I have learned that he is a great man and a dear, dear friend to many, many of us.  I realize now that when he wrote the book initially, he really was breaking new ground.  He had every right to be proud of his discoveries.   I am ashamed of my careless and callous remarks and I apologize profusely.   What is really disturbing and humbling is that, despite my feelings and despite the fact that it is hard to read the book for those reasons, I have found myself reading it at least twice every winter for better then 10 years.  He really does have something important and useful for us to learn. Thank you, Leonard M. Wright.  I owe you a great deal. A debt that I have no idea how to repay… — TimW Halfordian Golfer

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To whom it may concern, The other day I made a critical reference to the book "Fishing the Dry Fly as a Living Insect", Leonard M. Wright. My remark was about what I saw as conceipt by the author. <etc Well…it’s funny how humility looks you up and hunts you down. I have since learned that Leonard M. Wright is a very elderly gentleman now, nearly if not ecclipsing 80. I have learned that he is a great man and a dear, dear friend to many, many of us.

<etc Thank you, Leonard M. Wright.  I owe you a great deal.

No sweat. A debt that I have no idea how to repay…

You could start by cutting out the ten to fifteen C&K-vs-C&R-everyone-else-stopped- listening-months-ago-never-ending-debate-from-Hell posts per day crap. Don’t you have a job or something? This goes for you too, Ralph. — Leonard M. Wright – Fly Fishing Legend, Inventor of the Caddis Fly

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Excellent response Leo. I agree completely. Thanks,                Rick

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You could start by cutting out the ten to fifteen C&K-vs-C&R-everyone-else-stopped-listening-months-ago-never-ending- debate-from-Hell posts per day crap. Don’t you have a job or something? This goes for you too, Ralph. Leonard M. Wright – Fly Fishing Legend, Inventor of the Caddis Fly

Do you remember that scene where Woody Allen pulls Marshall McLuhan out of a corner to put a windy so-and-so in his place?  From now on, whenever Moe starts to rant I will smile and think of Woody and Leonard. Keep your stick on the ice, Thos.

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You could start by cutting out the ten to fifteen C&K-vs-C&R-everyone-else-stopped-listening-months-ago-never-ending- debate-from-Hell posts per day crap. Don’t you have a job or something? This goes for you too, Ralph. Leonard M. Wright – Fly Fishing Legend, Inventor of the Caddis Fly Do you remember that scene where Woody Allen pulls Marshall McLuhan out of a corner to put a windy so-and-so in his place?  From now on, whenever Moe starts to rant I will smile and think of Woody and Leonard. Keep your stick on the ice, Thos.

The best part is where Thos. says to keep your stick ….. Everyone is wright. There is tooo much egotistical BS on Roff. But hey, that’s the way its been the two years I’ve been watching -Doug

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Mr. Wright,         Thank you, a million times, thank you. Bob – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You could start by cutting out the ten to fifteen C&K-vs-C&R-everyone-else-stopped- listening-months-ago-never-ending-debate-from-Hell posts per day crap.

Response:

Hi–   I read Wright’s 1972 book, _Fishing the Dry Fly as a Living Insect_, with much interest.  Certainly new to me! But did Wright invent the caddis fly, as someone posted? Weren’t some of the earliest known flies caddis imitations? vince norris

Response:

 While Leonard Wright did not "invent" the caddisfly, it’s said he was first the white man to meet one, long ago, in the days when even insects could speak.  Mr. Wright was ever a man of edges, and curious, so he immediately proceeded to question the bug.  "I watched a trout eat one of your brethren," said he.  "And since it’s widely known by narrow minds that trout eat only mayflies, I must ask: Are you merely a mayfly, rather badly bent?"  The mayfly, a lady, and an elegant princess of a family ignored by anglers, demurred.  "Oh no," she whispered, and shyly lifted a folded wing, revealing herself from thorax to rounded abdomen.    "So I see," said Mr. Wright, noting the absence of tails, "and you are certainly lovely."  The poor caddis, overwhelmed with pleasure, oviposited right there and then, swooned, fell to the stream and twitched twice, which caused her to be eaten by a three-pound brook trout  Wright had seen it all.  He thrilled to the meeting, grasped its meaning, sat to his vise.    The rest is history, of course.  An  evolution, in a way, for imbedded in those eggs that lady caddis lay, deep in their DNA, remained a memory of Wright’s attention, captured forever in a charming moment…    And that is why, fellow anglers, that even today, a descendent of Lady Caddifly may see you on a stream, mistake you for another brave Maverick–  And flutter.    From a review of <Trout Maverick in <California Fly Fisher:  ….History and instruction aside, there’s another reason to read Wright carefully, perhaps the most compelling:  Wright is a <thinker.  Occasionally philosophical, sentimental about split cane and gut leaders, he is most keen when he puzzles and prods, experiments, dismisses traditional assumptions when "a bleak, black day" demands something different and new.  He’s not the kind of fisher who, facing failure, will do what’s prescribed until the sun goes down; Wright wonders, tinkers and tries.  If his successes leave him with a dim view of purists, Wright certainly doesn’t blink an apology…  …at the heart of Wright’s writing is appreciation for independent examination, for the willingness to study closely, trust what you see, and proceed from there.  In the end  <Trout Maverick is as heretical as this:  "…when you start observing flies and fly behavior for yourself without relying on some other man’s word, you’ll find a whole new and productive world of fishing."

Response:

Question:

Anyone know where i can download a fly fishing or trout screen saver for free? thanks grant

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kauffman streamborn web site – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Anyone know where i can download a fly fishing or trout screen saver for free? thanks grant

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Question:

I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED AT THE SNOBBY ATTITUDE OF THOSE WHOM I ASKED FOR HELP AND ADVICE.

Maybe if you weren’t YELLING at them, they would have been a little more  friendly. Tip: Eliminate drag. When I take less experienced people there, that is usually the biggest problem I have in getting them to catch fish. You need to mend a lot. That’s one of the reasons you see the people in boats catching more fish (there are other reasons). From a boat, you are higher up, and it is easier to eliminate the drag. Plus, the guide will assist you in this process. Using a longer rod will also help, as you can get a more vertical presentation, but it really takes experience to see and understand this drag thing. Good luck, Bill Schudlich Santa Fe, NM

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I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED AT THE SNOBBY ATTITUDE OF THOSE WHOM I ASKED FOR HELP AND ADVICE. Maybe if you weren’t YELLING at them, they would have been a little more  friendly. Tip: Eliminate drag.

Are you saying that I should leave my bra in the blazer ? Or just wear it on the inside of my vest ? TimW

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ON LABOR DAY I WAS PRIVILEGED TO FISH THE SAN JUAN RIVER. I AM NOT AN EXPERIENCED FLY RODDER BUT AM ANXIOUS TO LEARN. I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED AT THE SNOBBY ATTITUDE OF THOSE WHOM I ASKED FOR HELP AND ADVICE. EVERY PERSON AROUND ME WAS CATCHING HUGE FISH, JUST LIKE I READ ABOUT. AT 7:00 IN THE EVENING AFTER TRYING ALL DAY I FINALLY HOOKED A 5 LB RAINBOW. WHAT A THRILL. IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WHO IS WILLING TO SHARE THIER METHOD FOR CATCHING THESE FINE FISH? I’M SURE YOU CAN IMAGINE MY DAY OF FRUSTRATION. THE TROUT WERE FEEDING VORACIOUSLY ON EMERGERS AND I FELT THAT MY PRESENTATION WASN’T CORRECT. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. EVEN A GUIDE REFERRAL WOULD HELP ON MY NEXT JOURNEY…JOHN Hi John It would be my guess that you were in a situation where "drag" was causing your fly to not act like a natural insect.  Drag happens when the various currents grab your fly line and leader consequently pulling the fly accross the current.  You will need to learn a little about reading the water, what the water does to your fly line & fly, and how to mend to compensate for the waters action on your line. As a guide here in Montana getting inexperienced people to recognize drag is a major part of my job.  Explaining it in person can be a challenge, trying to do so over the net is almost impossible.  I suggest you get with your local fly shop and arrange for lessons on reading the water and how to get a "drag free float."  OR you could join a local fly fishing club and learn from a new friend.  Call the Federation of Fly Fishers at 406-585-7592 for information on a club near you. — Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (97 catalog)

EXCELLENT ADVICE! George

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ON LABOR DAY I WAS PRIVILEGED TO FISH THE SAN JUAN RIVER. I AM NOT AN EXPERIENCED FLY RODDER BUT AM ANXIOUS TO LEARN. I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED AT THE SNOBBY ATTITUDE OF THOSE WHOM I ASKED FOR HELP AND ADVICE. EVERY PERSON AROUND ME WAS CATCHING HUGE FISH, JUST LIKE I READ ABOUT. AT 7:00 IN THE EVENING AFTER TRYING ALL DAY I FINALLY HOOKED A 5 LB RAINBOW. WHAT A THRILL. IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WHO IS WILLING TO SHARE THIER METHOD FOR CATCHING THESE FINE FISH? I’M SURE YOU CAN IMAGINE MY DAY OF FRUSTRATION. THE TROUT WERE FEEDING VORACIOUSLY ON EMERGERS AND I FELT THAT MY PRESENTATION WASN’T CORRECT. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. EVEN A GUIDE REFERRAL WOULD HELP ON MY NEXT JOURNEY…JOHN

Hi John It would be my guess that you were in a situation where "drag" was causing your fly to not act like a natural insect.  Drag happens when the various currents grab your fly line and leader consequently pulling the fly accross the current.  You will need to learn a little about reading the water, what the water does to your fly line & fly, and how to mend to compensate for the waters action on your line. As a guide here in Montana getting inexperienced people to recognize drag is a major part of my job.  Explaining it in person can be a challenge, trying to do so over the net is almost impossible.  I suggest you get with your local fly shop and arrange for lessons on reading the water and how to get a "drag free float."  OR you could join a local fly fishing club and learn from a new friend.  Call the Federation of Fly Fishers at 406-585-7592 for information on a club near you. — Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (97 catalog)

Response:

ON LABOR DAY I WAS PRIVILEGED TO FISH THE SAN JUAN RIVER. I AM NOT AN EXPERIENCED FLY RODDER BUT AM ANXIOUS TO LEARN. I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED AT THE SNOBBY ATTITUDE OF THOSE WHOM I ASKED FOR HELP AND ADVICE. EVERY PERSON AROUND ME WAS CATCHING HUGE FISH, JUST LIKE I READ ABOUT. AT 7:00 IN THE EVENING AFTER TRYING ALL DAY I FINALLY HOOKED A 5 LB RAINBOW. WHAT A THRILL. IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WHO IS WILLING TO SHARE THIER METHOD FOR CATCHING THESE FINE FISH? I’M SURE YOU CAN IMAGINE MY DAY OF FRUSTRATION. THE TROUT WERE FEEDING VORACIOUSLY ON EMERGERS AND I FELT THAT MY PRESENTATION WASN’T CORRECT. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. EVEN A GUIDE REFERRAL WOULD HELP ON MY NEXT JOURNEY…JOHN

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Question:

I have reservations at the West Branch Anglers on the Delaware for the first       week in June. Any thoughts on fishing this stretch or should I         check out other sections of the west branch or possibly the east branch. I do have maps with other areas. But since this is my first trip I want to make the most of it, i do realize that you can’t get to know a river on your first trip but any help would certainly be appreciated. Thanks!            

I was there yesterday 5/28. The water was normal and 60.3 F. It was around 50F, ambient, with a bitter wind that made it feel like high 30s. I have never seen anything like the hatches that were there. The following were on the water all   around the same time: Cream Caddis #14, Light Hendrikson #14, Brown Drake #10 (?), Pale Evening Dun (#14), BWO (#18 or #20), March Brown (#16), Gray Fox (#16). I fished the main branch below Hancock. There was no spinner fall that I could see in the daylight hours. The hatches themselves were not very plenitful but it was enough to get fish moving. I got six fish including a 14" brownie an 18" Rainbow (the largest wild fish I have ever caught).  Truly memorable for me. I observed another fisherman land a 20" brownie. I think you are in for a good time, but do get some advice on the hatches as my understanding is that everything is a couple of weeks behind. You’ll have a lot of fun.

Response:

Phil, I agree with your advice about going to the Delaware River Club.  It sounds like you fish the Delaware fairly regularly, so I have a question for you.  Have you ever caught a trout in the big pool at the junction of the East and West branches?  I once spent an entire day fishing there without catching anything even though fish were rising all over.  Last weekend, my dad and I each caught one riser from that pool and they both turned out to be suckers.  When the sun came out and I stood up on the banks, I could see a lot of suckers, some rising, but not one trout.  I wouldn’t be surprised if I couldn’t see trout on the bottom in the deep water, but I’m sure I could identify them if they were rising.  I’ve never encountered rising suckers before, so up until now I assumed the pool held plenty of rising trout.  Now I have to wonder.  BTW, we did catch plenty of trout a little downstream of the junction pool.

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And don’t forget to catch Al Caucci’s web site online at www.mayfly.com for advice and the interactive match-the-hatch chart. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have reservations at the West Branch Anglers on the Delaware for the first    week in June. Any thoughts on fishing this stretch or should I check out other sections of the west branch or possibly the east branch.    I do have maps with other areas. But since this is my first trip I want to make the most of it, i do realize that you can’t get to know a river on your first trip but any help would certainly be appreciated. Thanks! I prefer Al Caucci’s Delaware River Club, on the W. Branch closer to Hancock.   W.B. Anglers have better accomodations, but Caucci’s knowlege of the river and its inhabitants is unequalled.  You might want to stop in at Caucci’s fly shop f or some advice and flies. I fished up there 5/22, in the area of the PA state woodlands between Caucci’s and W.B. Anglers.  The river had only become fishable in the preceding day or so, as extremely high water brought on by seemingly incessant rains subsided.  The river was still high, but definitely wadeable and fishable.  There was a lot of hendrickson hatching and spinner-falling, but not a lot of fish activity on the surface.  Emergers seemed to work best. Normally the hendricksons are gone by early May, but everything is late this year.  You’ll probably have excellent fishing, with luck a sulfur spin ner fall which has provided me the best fishing on that river.   Also fish the Main Stem of the  Delaware below the junction of the E and W Branches in Hancock.  There are big trout there if you can cast far enough. Good luck Phil Holt

– — Steven Schwartz Bella Vena, Inc. www.panix.com/~tarpon/bellahome.html

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I have reservations at the West Branch Anglers on the Delaware for the first    week in June. Any thoughts on fishing this stretch or should I check out other sections of the west branch or possibly the east branch.        I do have maps with other areas. But since this is my first trip I want to make the most of it, i do realize that you can’t get to know a river on your first trip but any help would certainly be appreciated. Thanks! I prefer Al Caucci’s Delaware River Club, on the W. Branch closer to Hancock.   W.B. Anglers have better accomodations, but Caucci’s knowlege of the river and its inhabitants is unequalled.  You might want to stop in at Caucci’s fly shop for some advice and flies.

Ditto.   The West Branch seems to be trying too hard to be this exclusive flyfishing destination complete with the exclusive price.   Granted, the cabins at W.B.A. might be real nice but it’s the same river and the section at D.R.C. just *looks* a lot more fishable. I’ve also found that Bob and his wife (they run the flyshop) to be extremely congenial and very willing to share information.  When I was there with my girlfriend (who doesn’t fish) last year they asked her if she’d like to borrow some waders (not rent!) so that she would wade in the river with me.  While we were staying in the lodge there was a flyfishing school taking place and as I wandered by the dining area where the class had just had breakfast I asked if they had any coffee.  He said come on in an have whatever you want and the just left.  We had our choice of cereals, fruits and some breakfast rolls, or all three.   It’s these kinds of little things that makes staying in a place much more enjoyable. I also got a chance to see Al Caucci showing someone how to do a double haul.  He was amazing. — John Fereira Isis Distributed Systems – Ithaca, NY

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I have reservations at the West Branch Anglers on the Delaware for the first    week in June. Any thoughts on fishing this stretch or should I check out other sections of the west branch or possibly the east branch.        I do have maps with other areas. But since this is my first trip I want to make the most of it, i do realize that you can’t get to know a river on your first trip but any help would certainly be appreciated. Thanks!

I prefer Al Caucci’s Delaware River Club, on the W. Branch closer to Hancock.   W.B. Anglers have better accomodations, but Caucci’s knowlege of the river and its inhabitants is unequalled.  You might want to stop in at Caucci’s fly shop for some advice and flies. I fished up there 5/22, in the area of the PA state woodlands between Caucci’s and W.B. Anglers.  The river had only become fishable in the preceding day or so, as extremely high water brought on by seemingly incessant rains subsided.  The river was still high, but definitely wadeable and fishable.  There was a lot of hendrickson hatching and spinner-falling, but not a lot of fish activity on the surface.  Emergers seemed to work best. Normally the hendricksons are gone by early May, but everything is late this year.  You’ll probably have excellent fishing, with luck a sulfur spinner fall which has provided me the best fishing on that river.   Also fish the Main Stem of the  Delaware below the junction of the E and W Branches in Hancock.  There are big trout there if you can cast far enough. Good luck Phil Holt

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I fished the West Branch and the main stem just below the junction of the east and west branches this weekend.  There was a sparse Hendrickson hatch above Balls Eddy (I didn’t fish upstream of the PA line, but I imagine the hatch was better upstream).  There were a few caddis in the afternoons, but not enough to bring up many fish.  Sunday afternoon there was a good caddis/hendrickson/march brown (?) hatch in the afternoon and evening on the main stem.  The water level went down at lest eight inches between Thursday and Sunday.  Since I saw mostly Hendricksons, I guess all of the hatches are probably running a few weeks later than usual.  I wish I could go back in two weeks.

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I have reservations at the West Branch Anglers on the Delaware for the first    week in June. Any thoughts on fishing this stretch or should I check out other sections of the west branch or possibly the east branch.        I

The people at West Branch will be able to direct you to various areas.   You can move around freely – find your own spots.  Right now fishing is less than ideal and fishing pressure less than usual.   See http://www.castle.net/~sglad/fishnet6.htm for additional info.

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I have reservations at the West Branch Anglers on the Delaware for the first    week in June. Any thoughts on fishing this stretch or should I         check out other sections of the west branch or possibly the east branch.        I do have maps with other areas. But since this is my first trip I want to         make the most of it, i do realize that you can’t get to know a river on your first trip but any help would certainly be appreciated. Thanks!                

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